Odd error message

I'm running the zCoin client on Python 2.7.5 and this is my first run. The client is running, and whenever I try to run the miner, the client says something weird, namely this:

Couldn't get number of coins, if this persists please reset.
1

The miner console throws this error (didn't format as code because it's too long):

Exception in thread Thread-7:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-15:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-4:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-8:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-12:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-2:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-9:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-5:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-14:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-6:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-13:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-11:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-1:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-10:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

Exception in thread Thread-3:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 810, in __bootstrap_inner
    self.run()
  File "C:\Python27\lib\threading.py", line 763, in run
    self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs)
  File "C:\Users\Kids\Desktop\Alex's Stuff\Programs\zCoin-master\miner.py", line 15, in mine
    diff = json.loads(diff)['difficulty']
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\__init__.py", line 338, in loads
    return _default_decoder.decode(s)
  File "C:\Python27\lib\json\decoder.py", line 365, in decode
    obj, end = self.raw_decode(s, idx=_w(s, 0).end())
TypeError: expected string or buffer

I could use the help. Thanks,
4of9

P.S. I'm running a Windows machine, if it helps any.